Car Bomb Kills Military Officer in St. Petersburg

A military officer died in an explosion in St. Petersburg on Thursday, according to investigators. The blast happened near a supermarket in the Shushary neighborhood around 10 a.m. local time. The deceased was reportedly a lieutenant colonel, though his name has not been disclosed by authorities. His wife was inside the vehicle and is receiving medical attention.

The Investigation Committee, Russia's top investigative body, has launched a criminal probe into the incident, which local media initially described as a "vehicle fire" rather than an explosion. Exiled news outlet Agentstvo identified the victim as 43-year-old Sergei Sechkov, confirming his death with his father. Russian authorities have not officially confirmed the officer's identity.

Russia has previously accused Ukraine of orchestrating several assassinations of military officers since the full-scale invasion, while Ukraine has claimed responsibility for some attacks and denied involvement in others. The car explosion in St. Petersburg is the latest in a series of incidents. On Friday, Fontanka reported that a 24-year-old woman allegedly recruited by Ukrainian handlers online to plant a bomb under the officer's car had flown to Moldova earlier in the day.

This follows the killing of a Russian military officer in a bomb attack in annexed Crimea earlier this month, for which a woman suspected of involvement was arrested by police.